To some it seems women in Saudi Arabia are subject to the harshest restrictions internationally. The Muwatween, the Islamic Religious police, patrol the streets searching for women not conforming to the Sharia laws. From a young age, women cannot go to college, seek a job, or accept a marriage proposal without permission from a male relative. Laws prohibit traveling, conducting official business, or undergoing certain medical procedures without permission from the woman’s male guardian. Among the most controversial bans are women forbidden from driving and voting. However women will finally get the opportunity to vote in the 2015 Saudi Arabia political election, after a slow incline in women's rights advocacy in Saudi Arabia over the past decade.
Health care is also limited for women in Saudi Arabia. Unless women obtain male permission, they are refused service or medical attention, even in emergency situations. For example, a university student died after paramedics denied her access to the hospital because she was not accompanied by a male escort. The quality of medical attention is lessened due to the law that male physicians may not examine female genitalia. Many Arabian doctors describe this action as impermissible, unless urgent.